Kosciusko County free COVID-19 testing site hours expanding to meet need

Signs were updated Monday morning to reflect the new hours at the COVID testing site at the Kosciusko County Fairgrounds. (Photo: Nick Deranek/News Now Warsaw)

Bowen Center announces expanded hours for its free COVID-19 drive-through testing site located at the Kosciusko County Fairgrounds Shrine Building in Warsaw. The site has seen a 73% increase in visits in the last two weeks and so the hours have been expanded to meet the need. Beginning on Monday, August 16th the hours will be Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Tuesday 4 – 6 p.m. and the second Saturday of every month from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

English/Spanish language technicians are available to administer the tests which are free and available to anyone two years old and up. You do not need an appointment, a doctor’s referral, insurance or to be a resident of Kosciusko County. For more information, call (574)372-3517 or (574)372-2353.

The COVID-19 testing site opened in October 2020 and has been one of the highest volume state-sponsored test sites in Indiana. The drive-through site is operated by Bowen Center and Bowen Health Clinic on behalf of the Indiana Department of Health and the Kosciusko County Health Department with assistance from the Northern Indiana Hispanic Health Coalition, Ivy Tech Community College – Warsaw, Kosciusko Community Hospital, WJ Carey Construction, the Kosciusko County Fair Board, Wildman Business Group and DM Trump Construction LLC.

A free vaccination registration assistance hotline is also available to assist those who do not have access to a computer or internet access, are uncomfortable or unable to use a computer. The hotline number, which is available Monday-Friday 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., is (574)347-4256. If the call volume is high, callers may be requested to leave contact information for the operators to return their call. The service is provided by Bowen Center and Bowen Health Clinic on behalf of the Kosciusko County Health Department with support from the City of Warsaw and the K21 Health Foundation.